Bearer bar for furnace grates



July 9, 1929. G. H; LANGTON BEARER BAR FOR FURNACE GRATES Filed May 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet July 9, 1929. G, H, LANGTON 1.720.483

CE GRA'IES Filed May 4, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATE 1 mean GEORGE E. LANGTON, OF CLIFTON FORGE, VIRGINIA.

hereinafter described, is especially adapted for locomotives and cons1sts 1n annnproved form of side bearer for the grate bars.

In steam boiler furnaces the prevailing practice has been to support the ends of the grate bars on solid bearer bars located adjacent the side walls of the fire-box, with the result that the area of the grate surface for the combustion of the fuel is substantially reduced. This practice also results in the accumulation along the side walls of the fire box of ash intermixed with partially consumed fuel. and because of the loss of the protection to the side walls, due to the entrance of cool air currents contiguous to them, these Walls are liable to be seriously damaged.

These disadvantages are overcome in the present invention, which consists in a hollow or perforated bearer bar preferably having its upper surface inclined downwardly and inwardly.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention and the manner of its application to the fire-box of a steam boiler,

Fig. 1 is a plan section of the fire-box;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 44: of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail inverted plan the bear bar; and

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the bearer bar.

view of In the drawings there is shown a locomotive fire-box of conventional form, having hollow end and side walls 10. The back sheet of the lire-box is designated 11, its front sheet 12, and its side sheets 13, 14. The usual firedoor opening is represented at 15. The grate bars, as 16, may be of any desired form. For the purpose of illustration there are shown bars freely perforated for the admisslon of an and discharge of ash, and trunnioned on a central bearer bar 17 and the side bearer bars which are generally designated by the numerals 18, 19.

The improved side bearers 18, 19, each coinprises a top plate 20 and depending side plates 21, 22, the former adapted. to rest against the side sheet, as 13, and the latter being recessed, as shown at 23, for the reception of the grate FURNACE GRATES.

1927. Serial No. 188,714.

bar trunnions. The plate 21 is provided with a plurality of legs 24, having at their lower ends instanding flanges 25, which scat upon and are secured to brackets 26 attached to the mud ring 27. Preferably the plate 21 is also attached to the side sheet 13, as by means of studs 28 secured therein.

The upper plate 20 of the side bearer is preferably inclined downwardly and inwardly, and is freely perforated, as shown at 29, these perforations taking any desired form and arrangement but being shown as trans verse slots. Preferably the slots are omitted from the portions of the plate 18 which align with the trunnion pockets 23 for the purpose of affording adequate strength, and such unperforated portions are provided with downwardly extending flanges 30, 31, which are united by a bottom web 32 and thus form extensions of the trunnion pockets beyond the plate 22, a depending flange 33 extending backwardly from the flange 30 to the plate 21.

The grate bars 34, 35, at the rear and front ends of the fire-box are shown as stationary, the side bearers and central bearing bar be ing provided with suitable pocket-s, as 36, for receiving their ends.

The improved bearer bar is of adequate strength to support the grate bars, and constitutes an extension of the grate surface and the effective area thereof for active combustion to the side walls of the tire-box. Ashes resulting from the combustion of the fuel on this bar will sift through its apertures or slide down upon the flat portion of the grate. By reason of the increase in the effective area of the grate a corresponding increase in the amount of fuel burned is secured, and instead of the border of dead or slow burning fuel adjacent the furnace walls the margins of the fuel bed are maintained in active combustion, thus supplying heat directly to the lower and cooler portions of these walls.

lVhile a highly eflicient form of construction of the bearer bar is shown and described, form is not of the essence of the invention, and the structure may be variously changed with in the scope thereof.

I claim as my invention 1. A side bearer for grate bars, comprising a substantially vertical wall for attachment to the side wall of a furnace, a perforated plate inclined downwardly from the top of the vertical wall and having bearings for grate bars.

,2. A side bearer for grate bars, comprising a substantially vertical Wall, a perforated plate inclined downwardly from the top of g the vertical wall and having bearings for 5 grate bars at its lower margin, and a plurality of legs for supporting said side bearer extending downwardly'from the vertical Wall.

3. A side bearer for grates, comprising a vertical wall and an inclined top Wall, said top wall having transverse elongated openings therein and grate bar seats adjacentto its lower margin.

4. A bearer bar for furnaces having straight side Walls, COl'l'lPllSlng a straight hol- 10W bar having a transversely inclined perforated upper face and an open lower face, and grate bar seats along its inner margin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE H. LANGTON. 

